Holt, Parrott & Dunne Ready For Victory Shield With Ireland U16s

Former Belvedere players Brandon Holt (St Patrick’s Athletic), Troy Parrott (Tottenham) and Alex Dunne (Shamrock Rovers) are ready for the Victory Shield with the Republic of Ireland U16s this week.

Paul Osam’s team are looking to retain the trophy they won last year and will face hosts Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland this week.

The Ireland Head Coach is looking forward to the tournament.

"The two friendlies against Romania last month served as good preparation for the three upcoming games," Osam said. "We won this competition last year with a talented group and this year is a strong squad again."

With the Under 16 level the final year before competitive internationals take place on a European basis, the importance of player development is vital to Osam.

"The objective in games is always to win, but at underage level it is very important to develop the players properly and that is the balance we are trying to find.”

"The new underage National Leagues have been a great help in getting the players up to speed. We have seen hundreds of players this season and will continue to do so with our scouting network. The Victory Shield is a very competitive competition against teams of similar styles so the games are always tough, but we will be well prepared for it."

With last season’s competition taking place in Scotland, supporters will welcome the games being closer to home this season – an aspect Osam admits is a positive.

"It’s nice for the family and friends of players that it is not too far away. It should give the players a boost to have a decent support."